Real Sociedad's European return, almost unrecognisable

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Only two survivors remain

Real Sociedad are heading back into Champions League qualifying - but barely anyone from their last European adventure is still around to remember it.

Just two players from the squad that faced Bayern Munich in September 2022 remain: Nerea Eizagirre and Cecilia Marcos. That's it. Everyone else? Gone.

A bumpy road back

The Basque side earned their first Champions League shot by finishing second in the 2021/22 Liga. It didn't go brilliantly. They lost the first leg 0-1 at Anoeta - Eizagirre rattling the bar twice - before a 3-1 defeat in Munich sealed a 4-1 aggregate exit.

What followed was worse. Eighth-place finishes in back-to-back seasons, then seventh in 2024/25. Only last season's third-place finish hauled them back into continental contention.

New boss, new faces

Head coach Arturo Ruiz now leads the charge, having taken over from Natalia Arroyo via a brief spell under Sánchez Vera in 2024/25.

Goalkeeper Elene Lete has departed for London City, leaving Julia Arrula and Alazne Estensoro scrapping for the number one shirt. Eizagirre wears the captain's armband and anchors midfield alongside Klára Cahynová, Ainoha Campo and Maren Lezeta.

Attack reshuffled

Up front, the exits of Franssi, Jensen and Amaiur have thrust Marcos into a bigger role. She's flanked by Ainhoa Marín, Arola Aparicio, Ava Seelenfreund, Sonya Keefe and Intza Eguiguren.

The Copa de la Reina winners of 2019 have one clear target: reach the Champions League group stage, as OneFootball reports. Second time lucky, perhaps.